New research reveals the true size of UK warehouse industry

Research from the UK Warehousing Association (UKWA) has found that UK warehouses employ 760,000 workers, which is 70% more than the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) official estimate of 444,000. The number of jobs in the warehouse sector has risen by 40% since 2011.

The data, compiled by the logistics consultancy Arica’s Kirsten Tisdale, for the UKWA, highlights the real scale of UK warehouses.

Whilst the increased prevalence of online retailing contributed to the rise in warehouse jobs, research by property company Savills in 2024 noted that warehouses for logistics companies and retailers on the high street occupy more space than digital retailers.

British warehousing equipment manufacturers are benefitting from the growing demand for well-designed manual handling and storage equipment.

The UKWA wants the government to recognise the warehousing industry’s importance to the British economy. They want better support for careers in warehouses. Clare Bottle, the chief executive of UKWA, was quoted as saying:

“The truth is that warehousing is brilliant at both creating entry-level opportunities and giving people a career ladder to climb. Our members face just as big a gap in finding team leaders and supervisors as they do in recruiting warehouse operatives.”

She says that the UK’s apprenticeship system is not working for the logistics industry. She wants Skills England to give the green light to the Warehouse Manager apprenticeship scheme and support better career development for people who enter the industry. This will ultimately improve productivity and help the economy grow.

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